To increase sales volume, a merchandise manager purchases and arranges products in a store. Depending on the company’s management structure, this could involve products in a single store or across a network of related facilities. Job openings in this field typically require at least two years of experience in merchandise management, but it is also possible to obtain a degree in this or a related field by attending college or technical school. While degrees are not an absolute requirement, they can help job applicants stand out.
Trends must be followed by merchandise managers. They might go to conferences and trade shows, read trade magazines, watch pop culture, and use other methods to learn about the products that people are likely to buy and demand in the future. They decide what to order for the store based on this information, as well as the timing and quantity of the order. As products arrive, the merchandise manager arranges them in the best possible way to maximize sales, taking into account the overall layout of the store.
A merchandise manager in a large store may have assistants. Individual departments can have their own merchandising staff who organize their products while reporting to a supervisor. These employees can keep track of individual sales and trends in their departments, as well as help with sales reporting. Such documents provide crucial information about what is selling and when, allowing merchandise managers to make informed decisions about product restocking and expansion.
The merchandise manager may also be in charge of employee training. To increase customer satisfaction and sales, people may be given training in how to sell a product, as well as information about its origins and uses. For example, clerks in a department store may need to be aware of current fashion trends in order to make appropriate recommendations to customers. Tact can also be a part of training; for example, if a gown does not appear to be appropriate for a customer, the clerk must be able to say so gracefully and without offending the customer.
People can get training in this field in addition to a college education by working in individual departments with a merchandise manager as a mentor. Some companies encourage their managers and senior staff to groom promising employees, allowing the company’s best and brightest to move up the seniority ladder. People with extensive experience in the merchandising ranks of one store may be able to transfer to another as positions become available, or they may be able to use their experience to apply for a job with another firm.